H. Hovnanian Family Foundation-backed athletes win gold on the world stage

In March, three Armenian fighters stepped onto the world stage at the 20th World Muay Thai Championship in Bangkok, bringing with them years of training, sacrifice, and resilience. They returned home with three gold medals and a powerful message: Armenia belongs among the best.

Karapet ‘Karo’ Voskanyan, Hayk Vardanyan, and Roman Kalashyan are familiar names within Armenia’s martial arts circles. It was a full fellowship from the H. Hovnanian Family Foundation’s Armenian Fellowships program that made their journey to Bangkok possible. The initiative supports Armenians with exceptional drive and talent to shine on the global stage.

Karo Voskanyan has dedicated more than twenty years to martial arts. A native of Yerevan, he made a remarkable comeback after stepping away from the ring for seven years, which is an exceptionally rare hiatus in the world of professional combat sports. “I wanted to prove something to myself and my students: that it’s never too late. I came back and won the World Championship.” 

While in Bangkok, he also earned his certification as a professional referee—another milestone made possible by the H. Hovnanian Family Foundation. “[The Foundation] gave us what was always missing: a real chance,” Karo says. “We’ve gone to many tournaments over the years, funded out of our own pockets. We've also missed out on opportunities because we simply couldn’t afford to go. This time, we had everything we needed.”

Karo is the founder and president of Patriot Fight Club. Alongside Hayk Vardanyan, he’s working to develop the sport’s foundation in Armenia, where Muay Thai continues to face challenges in funding and visibility.

Hayk, who took gold in the 57 kg category, described the experience as surreal. “To be in Thailand, where Muay Thai was born, and have Armenian athletes winning golds, that’s incredible,” he explains. A fellow Yerevan native, he has competed in tournaments throughout Lebanon, Russia, China, Ukraine, and Turkey.

Roman Kalashyan’s journey to gold started in humble surroundings. Raised in the village of Armavir, he had limited opportunities and almost no resources to train. “I had a goal, and that was it. There was no equipment, no club, nothing, but I kept going.” 

His drive carried him from youth competitions across Europe to more than 20 professional fights as an adult. In Bangkok, he capped it all off with a knockout win in the final.

Like Karo and Hayk, Roman is also focused on boosting Muay Thai’s presence in Armenia and strengthening the youth system for up-and-coming fighters. “We’ve done well in individual combat sports, but Muay Thai hasn’t gotten the support it deserves. That’s changing, and we’re going to push that change forward.”

The achievements of the three gold medalists were part of a broader team effort. Armenia sent a 12-member delegation to this year’s championship and came home with three golds and three silvers in the adult division, and a bronze in the junior category. It marked one of the country's most successful performances in a sport that still operates with limited resources.

Each of the three fighters hopes their journey will inspire young athletes to believe in what’s possible. When Yerevan welcomes the European Open Championships later this year, Karo, Hayk, and Roman will return not just as competitors but as mentors and living proof that with proper support and hard work, one can reach the world stage.